Opo squash, a popular light green–skinned Asian gourd, shows off its delicate sweetness in this quick soup, which blends the opo with chicken or pork to yield a rich flavor that tastes like the broth simmered for hours. Look for opo squash at Asian or farmers’ markets, selecting specimens that are blemish free and feel heavy for their size. When you gently squeeze the squash, it shouldn’t yield to its spongy core, a sign of overmaturity. If an opo squash is unavailable, zucchini may be substituted. The flavor will be milder but still tasty.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6 with 2 or 3 other dishes

　　1 opo squash (about 1 1/4 pounds)

　　1 tablespoon canola or other neutral oil

　　1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

　　1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thigh or boneless pork shoulder, well trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch cubes

　　3/4 teaspoon salt

　　1 tablespoon fish sauce

　　6 cups water

　　1/8 teaspoon white pepper

　　5 or 6 sprigs cilantro, coarsely chopped

　　

Step 1

Trim off both ends of the squash and cut it in half. Quarter each half lengthwise and remove the spongy seeded center. Cut each quarter into 1/2-inch cubes. Set aside.

　　

Step 2

In a 3- or 4-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes, or until fragrant and soft. Add the chicken or pork and continue cooking for about 2 minutes, or until the meat begins to color. Add the salt and fish sauce and cook for 1 minute to develop the flavors. Add the water, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Skim and discard any scum that floats to the top. Add the squash cubes and return to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the squash is tender and no longer floats on the surface. (The simmering time depends on the maturity of the squash; old squash with thick skin will take longer.) If you are not serving the soup right away, turn off the heat and cover.

　　

Step 3

Just before serving, return the soup to a simmer and add the white pepper. Taste and add extra salt or fish sauce, if necessary. Ladle into a serving bowl and garnish with the cilantro. Serve immediately.

　　Reprinted with permission from Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors by Andrea Nguyen. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Copyright © 2006.  Photographs by Leigh Beisch. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.